Fountain pen



D. JUELss FOUNTAIN PEN Jan. 22, 1946.

Filed Dec. 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR l Edv/'QJ faQ/.f5

kw# 0% ATTORNEYS Patented Jan.. 22, 1946 FOUNTAIN PEN David J uelss, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Lead Pencil Company, Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New York Application December 5, 1944, Serial No. 566,690

(Cl. 1Z0-50)` uclaims.

- ywhich the point of the nib projects. The hood protects the nib and feed bar from accidental damage, aords effective support for the nib adjacent the point, provides a collector for surplus ink which may pass through the ink channel in the feed bar and assures the continuous maintenance of humid conditions in the feed so that the pen is always in condition for writing so long as the ink supply lasts. It also facilitates handling of the pen which may be grasped without danger of smearing the fingers.

One of the lprimary disadvantages of fountain pens of the type heretofore in general use has been the difliculty of maintaining close contact between the feed bar and the pen nib. Under pressure exerted in Writing, there is a tendency to deiect the nib away from the feed bar. As a result, more ink flows from the reservoir than is required for writing if the space between the nib and feed bar is of capillary dimensions. If greater, the supply of ink will be shut off so that frequent priming is necessary. Attempts have been made to remedy this defect by utilizing pen nibs of heavier section or by resorting to tubular pen nibs. Neither solution is entirely satisfactory.

Another characteristic of fountain pens is the tendency to flood under certain conditions. Some pens of recent design have included a. multiplicity of annular cell-like structures with interlocking air'` and. ink passages in an attempt to aord a collector for surplus ink. These are fragile and dimcult to manufacture and assemble.

Moreoven ink sedimentation often blocks the delicate passages which become useless for their intended purpose.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a pen feed mechanism of sturdy parts which are easy to manufacture and assemble, the structure fbeing such as to avoid the difficulties hereinbefore mentioned andl to afford numerous advantages in use.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a fountain pen employing a hood extension substantially covering the writing nib and contain-- ing novel means for trapping 4and storing excess ink on the under side portion of the hood.

-Another object of the invention is to provide means for ensuring contactof the feed bar and pen nib by wedins the feed bar between the nib and the inner surfaces of the hood extension.

' in the feed bars of such fountain pens for trapl Another object of the invention is to .provide a fountain pen containing a hood extension of utmost vsimplicity which lends itself to molding technique and dispenses with the need for fragile and complicated cell structures usually embodied ping and storing excess ink.v

Another object of the invention is to provide a hood extension which will effectively reduce vaporization to a minimum by providing an almost total enclosure'for the feeding means, the ori- `fice at the extreme end of the hood being: of

capillary proportions where the nib protrudes through it.

Other objects and advantages of the invention .will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following Specification and the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the under side of the feed mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through thev feed mechanism and a portion of the barrel;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the feed mecha- I nism;

Fig. 9 is another section similar'to Fig. 4, illustrating a further modification.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates the barrel of a fountain pen to which the hood extension 6 is secured in any suitable manner, as for example by threads 'l.` An ink sac 8 may be secured to the innerend of the feed mechanism within the barrel 5 in the usual manner. The hood E is preferably tapered or streamlined to its free end, where it is provided with an opening 9 through which the point l0 of the pen nib il projects. 'Ihe size of the opening 9 is such that when assembled with the pen nib I I, a passage of capillary dimensions is exposed to the atmosphere.

A ferrule I2 is inserted in the barrel end of the hood 6 to receive the feed bar I3. The latter firmly holds the rear end of the pen nib Il in a recess Il provided in the ferrule i 2. The feed bar is preferably of the type heretofore used in fountain pens, being generally cylindrical at one end and semi-cylindrical at the other, the latter end tapering to a blunt point. It is provided with ink and air grooves I5 and I6 merging into'a groove l1. 'I'he groove I1 extends longitudinally of the feed bar to a point near the tapered end and forms with the pen nib Il a passage through which ink descends from the ink sac 8 and is replaced with air. 4

The hood 6 has at its forward end a plurality of transverse slots I 8 of capillary width affording together a collector for surplus ink. The inner face of the under side of the hood 6 is shaped to engage the adjacent surface I9 of the feed bar I3, affording a wedging action when the 'parts are assembled to firmly hold the feed bar I3 and pen nib Il against the opposing inner surface of the hood, particularly adjacent to the end of the pen nib. This wedging action avoids the difficulty experienced due to flexing of the pen nib away from the feed bar in ordinary fountain pens.

As will be noted in Fig. 4, the width of the, feed bar I3 is somewhat less than the space within the hood 6 adjacent thereto; affording spaces 28 at each side through which surplus ink may pass into the slots I8. In normal operation, ink flows through the groove Il to the point of the nib II, where it is used in writing. In the event of conditions which cause flooding, the ink tends to form a drop in the opening 9 and is promptly drawn by capillary action into the transverse slots I8 where it is held. In writing, the ink is gradually drawn from the trapped surplus until normal conditions are restored.

Rearwardly, in the under side of the hood 6, a longitudinal slot 2| communicating with the rearmost of the transverse slots is provided to permit entrance of air. The air passes into a chamber, 22 and thence through a channel 23 formed with the end of the ferrule I2 to a groove l24 in the hood 6 above the pen nib II. Thence, the air passes through a breather opening 25 to the groove Il, permitting, replacement of the ink as used with the air which enters the sac 8.

' As indicated in Fig. 8, it may be advantageous to provide an additional longitudinal slot 26 in the under side of thehood 6, communicating with the transverse slots I8. Such a longitudinal slot,

which should be of capillary dimensions, facilitates travel of the ink through and into the several transverse slots. As shown in Fig. 8, the longitudinal slot extends only partially through the wall of the hood 6. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 9, a longitudinal slot 21, extending entirely through the wall of the hood Ii, may be provided to afford communication between the transverse slots I8. The longitudinal slot in this case should also be f capillary dimensions. In either of the three forms of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 4, 8 and 9, surplus ink resulting from flooding is immediately picked up and held in the transverse slots I8 until it is utilized in writing. Since the transverse slots are exposed to the atmosphere, some of the surplus ink may be disposed of by evaporation. In any event, it has been found that pens constructed in accordance with the invention afford ample storage capacity for surplus ink delivered through the feed, so that ink will not drop from the pen point as. it often sible to use ink of the instantaneous drying type,

since gushing is inhibited and the ink is protected from the airv until delivered by the pen point in writing. Surplus ink collected in the transverse slots may be partially evaporated by exposure to the atmosphere, but this does not affect the writing quality of the pen. ,y

The structure is simple and adapted to construction by molding plastic materials and is eas ily assembled. It is to be understood that any materials adapted for fountain pen construction may 'be used. Molded plastics are preferred, but the parts may be formed from other material such as hard .rubber or even metal.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction as described without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a coopy erating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, and a plurality oi transverse slots ofV capillaryy width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink.

2. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a cooperating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, and a longitudinal slot communicating with the transverse slots.

3. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a c0- operating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, and a longitudinal slot communicating with the transverse slots, the longitudinal slot extending partially through the wall of the hood.

4. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a cooperating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, and a longitudinal slot communicating with the transverse slots, the longitudinal slot extending entirely through the wall of the hood.

5. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a cooperating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, and a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, the inner surfaces of the hood being formed to wedge the pen nib and feed bar into firm engagement.

6. In a fountain pen feed, a'pen nib, a cooperating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through, which the pen nib projects, a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the un#- der side of said hood adapted to-receive and hold surplus ink, and a longitudinal slot communication with the transverse slots, the inner surfaces of the hood being formed to wedge the pen nib and feed bar into firm engagement.

7. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a cooperating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the unv der side of lsaid hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, and a longitudinal slot communicating with the transverse slots. the longitudinal slot extending partially through the wall oi the hood, the inner surfaces lof vthe hood being formed to wedge the pen nib and feed bar into firm engagement.

8. In a fountain pen'feed, a pen nib, a co-v operating feed bar and a hoodl surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the/under through which the pen nib projects and a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, and a longitudinal slot behind and communicating. with the rearward transverse slot and with a breathing passage to permit entrance of air to the pen.

10. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a cooperating feed bar andI a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen niby projects and a plurality oi' transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, a` longitudinal slot behind and communicating with the rearward transverse slot and with a breathing passage to permit entrance of air to the pen, and a longitudinal slot com municating with the transverse slots.

1l. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a cooperating feed b ar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects and a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, a longitudinal slot behind and communicating with the rearward transverse slot and with a breathing passage to permit entrance of Lair to the pen,l and a longitudinal slot communicating with the transverse slots and extending partially through the wall of the hood.

12. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a co- `operating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects and a plurality of transverse slots of capillary width on the under side of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink, a longitudinal slot behind and communicating with the rearward transverse slot and with a breathing passage to permit entrance of air to the pen, and a longitudinal slot communicating with the transverse slots and extending entirely through the Wall of the hood.

13. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, acooperating feed bar and ahoodsurrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, and a plurality of slots of capillary width on the underside of said hood adapted to receive and hold surplus ink. l

14. In a fountain pen feed, a pen nib, a cooperating feed bar and a hood surrounding the pen nib and feed bar and having an opening through which the pen nib projects, and a transverse slot of capillary width on the underside of said hood'adapted to receive and hold surplus ink.

DAVID JUELSS. 

